Yarn-feeding means for knitting machines

ABSTRACT

A circular knitting machine is provided with a yarn feeder to be positioned in the neighborhood of the needle circle, and an arm carrying the yarn feeder pivoted at a distance from the needle circle for movement to bring the yarn feeder into and out of an active yarn-feeding position, and locating means to restrain the yarn feeder against undesired movement when in active position. In a machine having a multiplicity of knitting stations, all the feeder arms are pivoted about a common axis and the yarn feeders having long arms are provided with each locating means in the vicinity of the needle circle.

United States Patent Townsend et al.

3,636,732 1451 Jan. 25, 1972 [54] YARN.FEEDING MEANS FOR 2,213,1438/1940 McAdams ..66/1 33 2,366,381 1/1945 Bromley et aL. .66/l33 XKNITTING MACHINES 3,055,198 9/1962 Burleson ..66/l25 A [72] Inventors:Keith Gerald Townsend; David Arthur I Harlow, both of Leicester, EnglandPrimary Examiner-Louis K. Rimrodt Asslgneel The Engmnng 1 p yAttorney-Robert E. Burns and Emmanuel J. Lobato Limited, Leicester,England 221 Filed: Apr. 20, 1970 i 211 Appl. No.2 30,175 [57] ABSTRACT Acircular knitting machine is provided with a yarn feeder to bepositioned in the neighborhood of the needle circle, and an [30] ForeignApplication Priority Dam arm carrying the yarn feeder pivoted at adistance from the Apr. 23, 1969 Great Britain ..20,685/69 needle circlefor movement to bring the yarn feeder into and out of an activeyarn-feeding position, and locating means to [52] restrain the yarnfeeder against undesired movement when in [51] active position. In amachine having a multiplicity of knitting [58] stations, all the feederarms are pivoted about a common axis and the yarn feeders having longarms are provided with each [56] References Cited locating means in thevicinity of the needle circle.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,096,667 10/1937 M 1 11 et a1 i' 7 F'W? l'i "111i1 20 E L ll 1 L Q O i- O O O -F-- 4 I l 4 10 T TC TJZZ L 11 e O 0 L3111 PATENTEI] JAN25I972 lat-636L732 SHEET 2 or 5 PATENTED JANZS 19. 2

SHEET [1F 5 PATNTEnJAnzsmz 3536732 SHEET 5 [1F 5 YARN-FEEDING MEANS FORKNITTING MACHINES This invention relates to an improved yarn-feedingmeans for knitting machines and is particularly concerned with thecontrol of a feeder of a circular knitting machine in a case where thefeeder is on a carrier mounted at a position displaced at a distancefrom the needle circle.

Heretofore on circular knitting machines, and particularly machines ofthe single cylinder type, it has been arranged that each knittingposition is provided with at least one feeder arranged on a mountingadjacent to the knitting circle with the feeder or feeders pivoted on anaxis which is approximately tangential to the knitting circle, i.e., isnot displaced therefrom to any substantial extent. With a machine havinga plurality of knitting stations this system of feeder mounting becomesmore complex the greater the number of knitting stations and involvescomplex linkages or other multiple controls to operate the feeders atthe several knitting stations. Other types of feeder control have beenused in which all the feeders are pivoted and operated from one and thesame side of the machine. This system however has the disadvantage ofrequiring long unstable feeders by means of which correct feeding of theyarn to the needles cannot be ensured, and the invention seeks toprovide a feeder mounting and control means by which some or all of thedisadvantages of the known arrangements can be circumvented.

In accordance with the invention there is provided in a circularknitting machine a yarn feeder positioned in the neighborhood of theneedle circle and carried by an arm which is mounted at a distance fromthe needle circle and movable to bring the feeder into and out ofaction, in combination with locating means (conveniently positioned inthe vicinity of the needle circle) whereby the feeder is restrainedagainst undesired movement when it is in an active yam-feeding position.The locating means may conveniently serve also as a means for accuratelypositioning the feeder in relation to the needles when in itsyarn-feeding position. Advantageously the locating means may serve torestrain the feeder against undesired movement both heightwise andlaterally.

The invention is conveniently applied to a machine having a plurality ormultiplicity of knitting stations spaced apart around the needlecylinder, the yarn feeders at the several stations being carried on armswhich are pivoted to rock about a common axis displaced from the needlecylinder at one side of the machine and appropriate ones of said feeders(for example, those feeders which are at stations other than thatpositioned closest to said axis) having locating means as aforesaidassociated with their feeders.

Conveniently the locating means as aforesaid cooperates with a dependingend portion of the associated feeder arm or a depending portion of thefeeder itself. There may be tapered end to that depending portion whichis arranged to engage in a hole accurately positioned heightwise andlaterally in relation to the needle cylinder and provided in an adjacentpart of the machine. Alternatively a portion of the feeder may be urgedto bear frictionally against or in a recess in, a stationary plate whichmay be a sinker cap.

In applying the invention to a machine having a multiplicity of knittingstations, say four or more in number, the yarn feeders for all of theknitting stations may be carried on arms which are pivoted to rock abouta common axis as aforesaid and feeder arms which are related to knittingstations on the more distant side of the cylinder may have their endparts offset angularly as viewed in plan from the main parts of sucharms to enable them to reach partly round the cylinder and carry afeeder at a required position in relation to the related knittingstation.

Advantageously, means may be provided for accurately adjusting theoperative height of a yarn feeder at which it is positively located inits operative yarn feeding position. This may be arranged by having aheightwise adjustable member formed with an opening cooperative with adepending tapered end portion of the related feeder arm, or arranged toengage with a portion of the feeder, in the manner aforementioned. Thelocation of the end of the feeder arm can thus be varied by adjustingthe adjustable member up and down as required and fixing it in itsadjusted position.

Certain convenient forms of construction in accordance with theinvention are illustrated by way of example, in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the top of a single cylinder circular knittingmachine having six circumferentially spaced knitting stations, showingfeeder means associated therewith;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of certain parts taken onthe line IlII in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detailed partial elevation in cross section takenon the line III-III in'FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3 but showing a somewhat modifiedarrangement;

FIG. 5 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 1 but illustrating amodified machine with feeders of a different form;

FIG. 6 is a view in side elevation of parts shown in FIG. 5, partlybroken away between lines VI A--VI A and VI B VI B of FIG. 5, to exposetwo feeders; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view in cross section taken on line VIIVII of FIG.5.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 the machine of the first embodimentillustrated has a circular series of needles I located in a needlecylinder 2, and rotatable past operating cams (not shown) which impartthe various knitting movements. Cooperating with the needles 1 to formknitted stitches are sinkers 3 controlled from a cam track (not shown)operating on rearwardly located butts 3a of the sinkers 3. The controland operation of the knitting elements, the sinkers 3 and needles l, arewell known and need not be described here.

Around the periphery of the top of the circular row of needles l is alatch guard ring 5 which helps to guard and control the needle latcheslb and through which the yarn is fed into the needle hooks la to beknitted in a conventional manner. The latchguard ring 5 is supported, asis conventional, by its own circumferential flange 50 fitting into asupport plate 6. At each feeder position the latchguard ring flange 5ais recessed locally as shown at 7 (FIGS. 1 and 3) in such a way as toprovide a feeder-locating surface 7a (FIG. 3) low down at the outside ofthe latchguard ring 5. In this surface 7a and extending out through thebottom of the latchguard ring 5 there is formed a feeder locating hole7b.

All the feeders of the machine are carried on arms or levers 8 pivotedat one side of the machine on a common spindle 12 supported betweenfixed bosses l9 and 20 on upstanding supports (not shown) which alsoprovide a mounting for the support plate 6. The feeders are operated bylinks 16 or cables from a main or auxiliary control drum as providedconventionally on such machines and not shown here. The links 16 orcables may operate the feeder arms 8 through abutment levers l7 pivotedto lugs 18 on holders of the arms 8. The feeder arms 8 serving theauxiliary feed positions are all of a similar design and the inventionwill now be more specifically explained with reference to one of suchfeeder arms, the explanation being applicable to all the feeder arms ingeneral.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a feeder arm 8 in its operative position hasa main part which is roughly horizontal and a bent over vertical endpart 8a which terminates in a conical tip 8b located in the hole 7b. Apring 9 anchored to a rod 10 in the support plate 6 retains the feederarm tip 8b engaged in'the hole 7b. Appropriately positioned on thefeeder arm end part 8a is at least one yarn feeder tube 11. Such afeeder tube is generally made of ceramic or other hard wearing materialand is-fixed to the end part 811 by an adhesive such as that sold underthe trademark Araldite." Because of the location of the feeder arm endclose to the feeding position, the yarn is consistently fed through theyarn feeder tube 11 and through the latchguard ring 5 to the knittingelements. The spring 9 holds the feeder tube 11 at a constant height bypulling the feeder tip 8b into steadying engagement with the hole 7b,the latter serving to restrain the feeder tip 8b, and therefore thefeeder tube 11', against undesired horizontal and downward verticalmovement.

An alternative locating means permitting a height adjustment of the yarnfeeder in its yarn-feeding position is shown in FIG. 4. in thisconstruction, a screw-threaded hole 7c, larger than the hole'7b, hasscrewed into it a short tube 13 which is thereby vertically adjustableup and down and is fitted with a locknut 14 to releasably lock it in itsadjusted position. The feeder tip 8b is located in the top of the tube13 which can be vertically adjusted to obtain precise control of theheight of the feeder tube 11.

The location height control of FIG. 4 is more particularly applicable tothe knitting of fancy fabric, such as a terry fabric, for which twoyarns are fed to the knitting elements at one knitting position. Whenknitting terry fabric, two feeder tubes 11 are attached to the feederend So at different heights and serve respectively to feed a main orground yarn at normal height to the needles and a terry yarn at a higherlevel to the needles over the top of terry instruments shown at 15. Byadjusting the height of the feeder tubes 11 by the threaded tube 13, thebest feeding level of the ground and terry yarns can be found and held,allowing for variations between one knitting position and another. Incertain circumstances it may be preferable to employ separate feederarms for the feeders for the ground and fancy yarns and then each feedermay be positively located and adjusted to the required heightindependently of the other.

The modified construction shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 is particularly suitablefor use when a terry fabric is being made using terry instruments. It isusual to provide as much separation as possible between the two yarnsbeing used to make this fabric, so that the terry instruments can bemore easily inserted. Because other factors influence the lay of theyarns, this separation varies and makes the setting of the terryinstrufed from fixed positions, any rise or fall of the knittingcylinder due to quality changes will influence the'separation of theyarns.

In the construction of FIGS. 5 to 7 there are feeder anns 108, 114, 116,117, and 118 pivoted on the spindle 12 as in the previously describedconstruction and operated similarly. A sinker cap 101 corresponds to thesupport plate 6 shown in FIG. 1. Plate like feeders 103 for main yarnand 102 for terry yarn are fitted in a manner later described toappropriate ones of the feeder armsrA latchguard ring 105 (FlG. 7)without an out-tumed flange has vertical double-ended slots at thepositions of the feeders and is mounted in a modified latch ring 106which has intumed lugs 106a,,by means of flange nuts 104 engaging innotches 105a in the ring 105. The flange nuts 104 are adjustable onstuds 107 positioned in holes in the lugs 106a are releasably locked inan adjusted position on the studs by locknuts 110. The studs 107 haverounded heads resting on the sinker cap and carry springs 111 which areheld slightly in compression between the latch ring 106 and the heads ofstuds 107 when the latch ring is locked in its lowered (i.e. operative)position. Thus the latchguard ring 105 is resiliently or yieldably heldat the required level in relation to the needles and the sinker cap 101and is raised and lowered with the latter for quality" (i.e., stitchlength) control.

Other feeders of a more orthodox construction are provided at thefeeding station nearest to the spindle 12 and indicated at 120.

The feeders 102 and 103, see FIG. 6, take the form of slot which canlocate on a peg 112 projecting from the face of feeder 103 and the sameslot locating over the end of the feeder ann 108 or 115 to 118 allowsaccurate adjustment heightwise of the terry feeder 102. Locknut 113 isused to lock the feeder ends together and fix them on the feeder armwhen final adjustment to the terry feeder 102 has been made.

The construction just described provides a means of feeding main andterry yarns so that after the initial setting of the' feeders and thelatchguard ring, the heightwise separation of the main and terry yarnsbeing fed to the needles will remain the same regardless of the rise andfall through quality changes of the knitting cylinder. With the feedangle and separation of the yarns being constant, the terry instrumentscan be more easily timed and set in the correct position relative to thetwo yarns.

As can be seen in FIG. 6, the feeders 103 are located when in the activeyarn feeding position on the upper face of the sinker cap 101 and arerestrained against undesired movement by frictional engagement with theupper face and are pressed thereagainst by the action of the springs109! The bottom ends of the feeders 103 may for this purpose be causedto have good surface contact with the upper face of the sinker cap 101.Alternatively the bottom ends of the feeders 103 may engage in parallelsided keylike recesses or countersinks, as indicated at 121 in FIG. 6,to restrain the feeders against lateral movement. Because the sinker cap101 is located on the upper end of the cylinder and provides the newlocation for the feeders, it willbe seen that any upward or downwardmovement of the cylinder is imparted to the feeders carrying the yarn.With the ground yarn feeder 103 located on the upper face of the sinkercap and the terry yarn feeder 102 adjusted to correct height to feed theterry yarn over the nebs of the terry instruments, the most effectiveyarn separation is obtained, giving the appropriate angle of feed of theterry yarn to the terry instrument and the ground yarn to the sinker.This separation will remain constant regardless of any up or downmovement of the cylinder, thus allowing the terry instruments to be moreeasily timed and set relatively to the two yarns. Furthermore, with theinitial setting of the latch guard completed by adjustment of theflanged nuts 104, up or down movement of the cylinder will betransmitted through the studs to the latchguard ring 105. This'ensuresthat the ground yarn passing over the base of the slot in the latchguardwill remain in the same relative position to the sinker and terryinstrument regardless of the rise and fall of the cylinder andassociated sinker cap.

What we claim is:

1. In a circular knitting machine, the combination comprising: a yarnfeeder to be positioned in the neighborhood of the needle circle, an armcarrying said yarn feeder, means mounting said arm at a distance fromthe yarn feeder for movement to bring the yarn feeder into and out of anactive yarn feeding position, and locating means to restrain the feederagainst undesired movement when the feeder is in an active yarn feedingposition.

2. A combination according to claim 1, wherein said locating means ispositioned in the vicinity of the needle circle.

3. A combination according to claim 1, wherein said locating meansincludes means for restraining the yarn feeder against undesiredmovement both heightwise and laterally.

4. A combination according to claim 1 wherein the locating meansincludes means to position the yarn feeder accurately in relation to theneedles when in a yam-feeding position.

5. In a circular knitting machine having a multiplicity of feedingstations spaced apart around a needle cylinder, a combination accordingto claim 1 having a yarn feeder at each of said feeding stations,feeder-carrying arms one for each of said feeders means pivoting saidarms to rock about a common axis displaced from the needle cylinder, andfeeder locating means for at least each of those yarn feeders which aredisplaced to a substantial extent from said common axis.

6. A combination according to claim 1, wherein the feederlocating meanscomprises a plate and means yieldably urging a part carried by thefeeder arm at the feeder en d yieldably towards said plate when saidyarn feeder is in an active yarnfeeding position.

7. A combination according to claim 6 comprising spring means urgingsaid part carried by the feeder arm against said plate to retain theyarn feeder frictionally against undesired displacement.

8. A combination according to claim 6 wherein said plate is providedwith means defining a recessed seating into which said part carried bythe feeder am is urged to locate it.

9. A combination according to claim 5 wherein the feeder arms related tofeeding stations on the side of the needle cylinder more distant fromthe pivotal axis of the feeder arms have their end parts offsetangularly as viewed in plan from the main parts of said arms to reachpartly round the needle cylinder to carry a yarn feeder at the requiredposition.

10. A combination according to claim 1 including means for adjusting theoperative height of a yarn feeder at which it is located in its activeyarn feeding position.

11. A combination according to claim 10, wherein said adjusting meanscomprises a heightwise adjustable member having means therein definingan opening cooperative with a depending part of the feeder arm,

12. A combination according to claim 1 comprising two yarn feeders, onefor a main yarn and the other for a terry yarn, carried by said arm andmeans mounting the yard feeder for the terry yarn against the other yarnfeeder to feed terry yarn at a higher level than the main yarn andpermitting adjustment of the terry yarn feeder heightwise in relation tothe yarn feeder for the main yarn.

13. A combination according to claim 1 comprising a latchguard ring,flanged nuts engaging the latchguard ring to anchor same at spacedintervals, an outer latch ring having spaced intumed lugs, bolts mountedin said intumed lugs and carrying said flanged nuts and a supportingplate below the latch ring engaged by said bolts, and wherein the yarnfeeder depends when in an active yarn feeding position through the spacebetween the latchguard ring and the latch ring to engage and be locatedon the supporting plate.

1. In a circular knitting machine, the combination comprising: a yarnfeeder to be positioned in the neighborhood of the needle circle, an armcarrying said yarn feeder, means mounting said arm at a distance fromthe yarn feeder for movement to bring the yarn feeder into and out of anactive yarn feeding position, and locating means to restrain the feederagainst undesired movement when the feeder is in an active yarn feedingposition.
 2. A combination according to claim 1, wherein said locatingmeans is positioned in the vicinity of the needle circle.
 3. Acombination according to claim 1, wherein said locating means includesmeans for restraining the yarn feeder against undesired movement bothheightwise and laterally.
 4. A combination according to claim 1 whereinthe locating means includes means to position the yarn feeder accuratelyin relation to the needles when in a yarn-feeding position.
 5. In acircular knitting machine having a multiplicity of feeding stationsspaced apart around a needle cylinder, a combination according to claim1 having a yarn feeder at each of said feeding stations, feeder-carryingarms one for each of said feeders means pivoting said arms to rock abouta common axis displaced from the needle cylinder, and feeder locatingmeans for at least each of those yarn feeders which are displaced to asubstantial extent from said common axis.
 6. A combination according toclaim 1, wherein the feeder-locating means comprises a plate and meansyieldably urging a part carried by the feeder arm at the feeder endyieldably towards said plate when said yarn feeder is in an activeyarn-feeding position.
 7. A combination according to claim 6 comprisingspring means urging said part carried by the feeder arm against saidplate to retain the yarn feeder frictionally against undesireddisplacement.
 8. A combination according to claim 6 wherein said plateis provided with means defining a recessed seating into which said partcarried by the feeder arm is urged to locate it.
 9. A combinationaccording to claim 5 wherein the feeder arms related to feeding stationson the side of the needle cylinder more distant from the pivotal axis ofthe feeder arms have their end parts offset angularly as viewed in planfrom the main parts of said arms to reach partly round the needlecylinder to carry a yarn feeder at the required position.
 10. Acombination according to claim 1 including means for adjusting theoperative height of a yarn feeder at which it is located in its activeyarn feeding position.
 11. A combination according to claim 10, whereinsaid adjusting means comprises a heightwise adjustable member havingmeans therein defining an opening cooperative with a depending part ofthe feeder arm.
 12. A combination according to claim 1 comprising twoyarn feeders, one for a main yarn and the other for a terry yarn,carried by said arm and means mounting the yard feeder for the terryyarn against the other yaRn feeder to feed terry yarn at a higher levelthan the main yarn and permitting adjustment of the terry yarn feederheightwise in relation to the yarn feeder for the main yarn.
 13. Acombination according to claim 1 comprising a latchguard ring, flangednuts engaging the latchguard ring to anchor same at spaced intervals, anouter latch ring having spaced inturned lugs, bolts mounted in saidinturned lugs and carrying said flanged nuts and a supporting platebelow the latch ring engaged by said bolts, and wherein the yarn feederdepends when in an active yarn feeding position through the spacebetween the latchguard ring and the latch ring to engage and be locatedon the supporting plate.